Why is it Important to Cool Down After Your Workout?

Unless your goal is to become stiff as a board, a proper cool down after your workout should form an essential part of your routine. Apart from improving general flexibility, cooling down will lower your heart rate gradually and enable the body to return to the pre-workout state.

Prevents dizziness or fainting: Strenuous physical activity causes blood vessels in your limbs to expand, bringing more blood to your legs and feet. Stopping exercise abruptly can lead to pooling of blood in your lower body, which can cause dizziness and even fainting. A Cool down after your workout facilitates the return of blood to the heart and subsequently to the brain, preventing dizziness or fainting.

Helps maintain proper blood circulation: During work-outs, waste products such as lactic acid are built up around the muscles. Cooling down helps improve blood circulation, which removes the lactic acid from around the muscles and sends oxygen and nutrient rich blood to the muscles.

How to do a proper cool down

When it comes to a proper cool down post-workout, the key is to gradually bring down your heart rate. Start with a walk or slow jog for 3-5 minutes. This will help you bring your breathing under control. Once your heart rate comes down, you can follow that up with static stretching. This helps maintain flexibility in your body. Perform the following stretches in our playlist of post workout stretches!